U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says China has agreed that Iran cannot become a nuclear weapons power. Clinton says China will play a role in forging new international sanctions against the Islamic republic at the United Nations.

In Canada's capital for a meeting of diplomats from the Group of Eight leading industrialized democracies, Clinton said Monday that despite its general opposition to sanctions, China will make suggestions as the process moves forward.

The United States wants tougher U.N. penalties against Iran over what the U.S. claims is a covert program to build a nuclear bomb.

Clinton told Canadian television that she believes the U.N. Security Council will agree on penalties against Iran for refusing to prove its nuclear program is peaceful.